“I hope they paid you a lot.” Clayton said.<\/p>\n
“They did,” Smylie said.<\/p>\n
PLUS… Victorious and laden with millions of dollars, Elvis Smylie is returning home to Australia for his second LIV event this week, with the country’s most illustrious golfer hailing him as a future world No.1.<\/p>\n
Clayton says that Smylie is part of a generation with a chance of being the number one player in the world. Yet the former European Tour player remains unconvinced that LIV Golf, as it stands, is the best place for Smylie to achieve that goal.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cCan you be the best player in the world playing LIV? The evidence so far suggests you can\u2019t,\u201d Clayton says. \u201cBut Elvis is 23 with, presumably, a three-year contract. A lot can happen in three years and while there will never be bread broken between LIV and the PGA Tour, maybe the Europeans and the Saudis come together to make a proper world tour.\u201d<\/p>\n Clayton offers a comparison between Smylie and another young player lured to LIV, Spaniard Eugenio Chacarra, who signed as a 21-year-old and won $US4 million in Bangkok in just his fifth start. Three years later, Chacarra had joined the DP World Tour where, on a sponsor\u2019s exemption, he promptly won the Indian Open.\u00a0<\/p>\n In his three years at LIV, it is estimated Chacarra won up to $US13 million \u2013 not including sign-on fees or any share of equity in Fireballs GC.\u00a0<\/p>\n Proud moment for @modestgolf<\/a> as client Elvis Smylie wins on his debut event on @livgolf_league<\/a>. \u2014 Mark McDonnell (@markmac14) February 8, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n Said Chacarra: \u201cOnce you win, it\u2019s just money … It doesn\u2019t matter if you finish 30th or 1st, only money.\u201d<\/p>\n Chacarra added that LIV Golf\u2019s limited, 14-event schedule and \u201clack of competitive pressure\u201d led to him \u201closing a lot of motivation to get better and practise\u201d.<\/p>\n Clayton can\u2019t see that being an issue for Smylie, however.<\/p>\n \u201cKnowing Elvis, I can\u2019t imagine him feeling the same or working less hard on his game, but we\u2019ll see,\u201d Clayton writes.<\/p>\n \u201cNot many players can be the best in the world, but Smylie thinks he can and is genuinely a part of the next generation with a chance.\u201d<\/p>\n In the heady moments after Smylie’s win on LIV debut at Riyadh GC, Ripper captain Smith said of Smylie: \u201cThe crazy thing is I still think he\u2019s got a lot of improving to go, which is pretty scary, really, for the rest of us, because he waxed us this week.”<\/p>\n “I genuinely think he can be the best golfer in the world. He\u2019s got all the tools of the trade. He just needs to keep doing what he\u2019s doing and knuckle down,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n
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\n Cam Smith: golf world set to be all shook up by Elvis
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Top 80 in the world at just 23 years old \u2014 and this is only the beginning.
Next stop: Adelaide \ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83d\udc4b\ud83c\udffc pic.twitter.com\/q9T1m3P8UZ<\/a><\/p>\n
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